Senator Clinton and Senator Boxer to announce 'Count Every Vote Act'

[FreepFryer]

From today's Senator Clinton mailing.

"It's time to tell those who celebrate elections and voter participation in countries around the world that we must make sure every vote is counted in elections right here at home!

That's why I am asking you to sign on now as a citizen co-sponsor of vitally important election reform legislation.

http://www.friendsofhillary.com/CountEveryVote

Next week, I will introduce the Count Every Vote Act of 2005, co-sponsored by Senator Barbara Boxer. This comprehensive election reform bill will:

* Provide a verified paper ballot for every vote cast in electronic voting machines.
* Set a uniform standard for provisional ballots, so that every qualified voter within the state will know their votes are treated equally and will be counted.
* Require the Federal Election Assistance Commission to issue standards that ensure uniform access to voting machines and election personnel in every community. It's outrageous that some people in predominantly minority communities had to wait up to 10 hours to vote, while people in other communities often voted in minutes!

In 2004, I introduced legislation similar to the Count Every Vote Act. But it never saw the light of day. I couldn't even get a hearing for my bill before the Senate Rules Committee. We can't allow this new legislation to suffer the same fate.

The Republicans who control Congress don't want to address this issue. So we've got to build grassroots momentum to make sure they don't have any choice but to act. That's why I am determined to keep moving forward -- on the Hill, with advocacy groups, and with all of you!"

http://www.friendsofhillary.com/CountEveryVote

[Cha]

1. Okay! This is more like it!

from Clinton. I know Barbara's been on this.

[keepthemhonest]

2. I would like to hear more of the details

before I commit to one or the other. Thanks for the update

[Amaryllis]

23. See my post #21 below for more details.

[oldtime dfl_er]

3. Good!

Now let's hope this bill doesn't get watered down or compromised. I guess it's up to US to keep it pure.

www.cafepress.com/showtheworld

[KingoftheJungle]

4. They STILL wont call for open source a verified, non proprietary software

Again, the technological ignorance of our representitives leaves the people and consumers open to massive explotation. The very idea that select companies can profit off of our right to vote is disgusting. Voting and voting technology should be in all of our hands and open to the public.

[Al-CIAda]

6. I second this -open source! -eom

[Amaryllis]

21. See here for more info. This bill may include call for ban on undisclosed

software. I started this thread before I knew someone had already posted HIllary's letter, with some text from 2213 which is the "similar legislation" she refers to that she introduced last year. It had some really good requirements for E-voting, and addressed the proprietary software and connections issues. I posted it here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss//duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=322789&mesg_id=322789

[Cadence]

42. That's what I was thinking. They also need legislation

that says that only non-partisan companies should be allowed to provide the hardware/software and an overhaul of the TABULATORS.

[understandinglife]

5. "Not One Line of Software Between A Voter and a Valid Election." (nt)

BE THE BU$H OPPOSITION; 24/7

[tex-wyo-dem]

8. Open source code is one thing...

we need to demand:

1.) that election equipment not be privitized.
2.) government oversight of all election equipment design and election processes
3.) public viewing/participation in vote counting
4.) required, open public audits of every election
5.) nationwide election standards
6.) voter verifiable paper ballots

[KingoftheJungle]

10. WE NEED T START BLASTING REPS WITH DEMANDS FOR OPENS SOURCE

Practically none of them are calling for open source, non-privatised election software and machines and this should not be allowed without a fight.

I also propose we blast them to adopt IRV or, even better, Condorcet

http://www.electionmethods.org/index.htm

[Andy_Stephenson]

15. Agree with everything but wnat to make one teensy small change

voter verifiable paper ballots should read

Voter verified paper ballots.

Making the verifiable...leaves the door open for electronic verification.

[Amaryllis]

24. Damn right, except I don't trust govenment oversight. I want independent

non partisan panel of computer security people. Better yet, no damn computers at all.

[KingoftheJungle]

33. I agree. Fuck govn't insiders, we need our own people in there

[Bill Bored]

7. If she wants grassroots support, she should talk to the other Senators

and House Reps sponsoring other bills and consolidate them.

It's VERY HARD to support ONE bill over another when there is so much overlap and so many things missing from each. Instead of tripping over each other to introduce bills, they should get together and agree on one bill, with massive grassroots support, unless there's some advantage in deluging the Committee with paper!

What about a Dem caucus of some kind (with Repubs welcome) from both houses of Congress to unify our approach to election reform? If we can get 90% of what everybody wants in ONE bill, and introduce it, leaving only a few leftover "debatable" points for other individual bills, we might get further in Committee.

And of course, there should be public hearings with grassroots activists present!

Comments please?

[FreepFryer]

9. Of which bills do you see this as redundant/duplicative? (n/t)

[Wilms]

11. Listen to Bill Bored, everyone. n/t

[Andy_Stephenson]

13. Clinton's bill Last year was WEAK!

I don't expect much this year either. Besides her bill will go nowhere in a republican controlled Senate.

[Amaryllis]

25. Andy, here is text from last bill. It doesn't go far enough, but it goes

a whole lot further than any of the other bills this session except Holt.

Here is the text of S 2213:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query

And here is the section that prohibits undisclosed software and wireless communication:


`(9) PROHIBITION OF USE OF UNDISCLOSED SOFTWARE IN VOTING SYSTEMS- No voting system shall at any time contain or use any undisclosed software. Any voting system containing or using software shall disclose the source code, object code, and executable representation of that software to the Commission, and the Commission shall make that source code, object code, and executable representation available for inspection upon request to any citizen.

`(10) PROHIBITION OF USE OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS DEVICES IN VOTING SYSTEMS- No voting system shall use any wireless communication device.

`(11) CERTIFICATION OF SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE- All software and hardware used in any electronic voting system shall be certified by laboratories accredited by the Commission as meeting the requirements of paragraphs (9) and (10).

`(12) SECURITY STANDARDS FOR MANUFACTURERS OF VOTING SYSTEMS USED IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS-

`(A) IN GENERAL- No voting system may be used in an election for Federal office unless the manufacturer of such system meets the requirements described in subparagraph (B).

`(B) REQUIREMENTS DESCRIBED- The requirements described in this subparagraph are as follows:

`(i) The manufacturer shall document the chain of custody for the handling of software used in connection with voting systems.

`(ii) The manufacturer shall ensure that any software used in connection with the voting system is not transferred over the Internet.

`(iii) In the same manner and to the same extent described in paragraph (9), the manufacturer shall provide the codes used in any software used in connection with the voting system to the Commission and may not alter such codes once certification has occurred unless such system is recertified.

`(iv) The manufacturer shall implement procedures to ensure internal security, as required by the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

`(v) The manufacturer shall meet such other requirements as may be established by the Director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology.'.

[purduejake]

34. Her bill was weak...

just like her performance certifying electors that she knew should be questioned. I'm glad to see Boxer onboard, though.

[Amaryllis]

22. Damn straight! And, this bill may be better than it looks on e-voting;

see my post #21 above.

[Catamount]

26. Yes please! One giant bill co-sponsored by all thinking dems

approved and supported by us and all other caring citizens, (the progressive think tank!)
:-)

[KatieB]

12. I signed

Kick. Singing just shows support. Does not make you chose one over the other.

[Goldeneye]

14. Has this been posted in other forums?

[truckin]

16. I would like to see the term Voter Verified Paper Ballot instead of only

"Verified Paper Ballot" which is the language used in the Clinton/Boxer proposed bill.

[Andy_Stephenson]

17. You make me proud!

grasshopper.

[truckin]

18. Thanks Andy

[Imagevision]

19. Go Hillary! signed! -- she better start this NOW!!

[Wilms]

20. kick n/t

[cyberpj]

27. I believe Conyers' legislation covers more and deserves our support -

Why can't the party support Conyers' effort? He was working on this and understanding it at a deeper level long before Boxer and Clinton got involved. Both he and this bill deserve our support.

Action Alert
Support National Election Reform!
Contact Congess today in support of the VOTER Act!

The VOTER Act bill (H.R. 533) is fully supported by Progressive Democrats of America, the Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, the AFL-CIO, People for the American Way, the NAACP, the NAACP National Voter Fund, the UAW, Rainbow Push, the Black Leadership Forum, and the National Voting Rights Institute.

The VOTER Act (H.R. 533) would permit all citizens to register to vote on election day; require early voting for the two weeks prior to election day; require a defined minimum number of voting machines present at each precinct; ensure that those who manufacture and service voting machines and software do not have conflicts of interest; strengthen the powers of the EAC (Election Assistance Commission) to create national standards for elections - so that every vote WILL count, regardless of what state it is cast in; require the source code of voting machines to be public; and require the option of a voter-verified paper ballot so that voters can verify their selection and results can be audited when discrepancies occur.

contact your reps here:
http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/issues/alert/?alertid=6942056&type=CO


read more about this and other bills here:
http://capwiz.com/pdamerica/issues/bills/

[Senator]

28. ER!, ER! ER!... It's Count Every VotER, stupid.

With a single word the fascists are half way to success.

An election is a SURVEY, not a contest.

Yes, changing the moral frame of reference is really far more important that any battle over process.

If we don't protect the forest, they just side-step the tree we're hugging at the moment. Until it's the last one left.

Count Every Vote is Stalinism.
(He who defines "vote" decides everything.)

Every VotER Counts is Americanism.

Any questions?
--------------

www.thedeanpeople.org

[Bill Bored]

29. Where is it? I want to read before I sign! Number please? nt

[FreepFryer]

31. Me too. It may not be available for the public before it's introduced. n/t

[GetTheRightVote]

30. Go Barbara & Hillary, get our vote back for us and fair elections

:kick:

[Raiden]

32. YAY BARBARA!!!

I'm still ambivalent to Hillary, but this is a big plus.

It seems as though we are headed for a "Democratic Revolution" a la the "Republican Revolution" of 1994. It looks like Howard Dean may be our Newt Gingrich (but with integrity). Think of it; Howard Dean, Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer, Nancy Pelosi, Rahm Emmanuel, etc. We finally have leadership that is fighting for us! Social Security, the Bush Budget, fiscal irresponsibility by this administration; I'm so fuckin' pleased with our current leadership! Now they just have to become a bit more feisty and we'll be reasy for our revolution by 2006!




:kick: :kick: :kick:

[DirtyDawg]

35. If We Can't Win This One...

...then Democrats ought to just hang it up. This is the one issue that even the most partisan of my repig friends will agree with me on. That voters, all voters, should be able to be certain that their votes are counted accurately. Now maybe they're just talking a good game with me, but it says that they are at least ashamed of admitting that they're happy to win ugly - namely that in their heart they know their guys are gaming the system and are proud of it...all's fair and all that.

If Democrats can't shame the republicans into supporting something so fundamental as this Constitutional Right, they don't have sense enough to pour piss out of a boot.

[Peace Patriot]

41. I'm sorry, DirtyDawg, but we're not going to win this in Congress.

The Republican strategy last time--which they will repeat this time with more votes now (ill gotten gains) and more power (Bush's ill gotten "mandate,"--ha, ha, ha)--is to never let the matter get out of committee, so BushCons won't have to vote on it. Thus, there will be no embarrassing questions from your average voter (like, "Why did you vote for non-transparent elections? Isn't that wrong?").

BushCons are, in any case, not subject to embarrassment. It just doesn't compute with them--because they have the election system pretty much sewed up. What do they care what people think? Look what they've done so far! They are immunue, and they know it!

The BEST that Democrats in Congress can do is to jawbone the issue--given the power situation. That can be helpful. Best of all, would be if they investigated and exposed the 2004 election WHILE jawboning for reform. But most are too chicken to do that (and don't really believe, or don't care, that they in fact represent the majority of Americans).

This fight has to be won state by state. The BushCons are a thousand miles ahead of us on this. LOOK what they're doing in California! --in collusion with Diebolded Democrats, they're destroying Kevin Shelley, one of the few honest Secretaries of State in the country!

It makes your blood boil!

It's fine and good to have the best bills possible around Congress. This DOES influence what the Sec's of State do--because they want to anticipate any mandates--and it helps educate voters. But we have GOT to get on and stay on the state election reform struggles, because that's where we are going to win or lose this fight for our democracy.

[In Truth We Trust]

36. Paper ballots NOW!!!! Hand counts Now!!!!! n/t

[Maguzzi]

37. pointless votecounting

forget it. the only election demos will win is one that the repukes want to give them when the muck stinks too much. Then they can blame them and watch them fix everything.

[Javaman]

38. Signed it and have sent it out to family and friends to sign!!!

[Robert Oak]

39. kick n/t

[Imperialism Inc.]

40. Signed.

And a kick for your thread.
:kick:

[jdj]

43. It's not working for me

I signed but then I'm not getting confirmation, just a 404 error.

Anyone else having problems?